Technology is pervasive in our lives, providing added convenience and time savings not to mention a healthy dose of wow! This year, at the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, the largest showcase of new products for the home in the United States, manufacturers unveiled a bevy of new technology for the bath to bring more functionality and pleasure to homeowners.

At KBIS, we saw lighting features incorporated into tubs, mirrors, vanities, sinks and water closets to provide the right levels of light to better match natural biological processes commonly referred to as circadian rhythms. Controlling lighting levels helps prevent the jolt to your system that bright lights can create if you have to use the bathroom in the middle of the night or early morning before the sun comes up. Today’s lighting controls enable you to navigate in the bath by providing a gentle glow, or you can program lighting levels to match needs and lifestyles.

Lighting can be controlled and activated through applications, motion control sensors, voice commands or home assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home. You can also use your home assistant to fill a bathtub, turn on a shower, adjust mirror lighting, start a steam shower, play music or activate other smart devices in your home. One manufacturer has embedded Alexa in a mirror so you can utilize all of Alexa’s functionality all while preparing for the day or a night on the town.

Customization is another benefit of technological advances in the bath. You can set the water temperature, steam temperature and lighting preferences for every member of your family in the shower. Advances in showerheads enable you to change spray patterns through remote controls thereby eliminating the need to change settings physically. This is a great benefit to those who have a difficult time reaching the showerhead.

If you thought you had to take a ride on a space ship to float in a gravity-free zone, think again. Toto featured new, more cost-effective models of its tub that create a zero gravity environment. Other high-tech tubs on display combine air technology with a waterfall that massages shoulders while you soak and feature chromatherapy to enable you to relax in the tub and wash away the stresses of the day.

KBIS featured water closets that are self-cleaning and deodorizing and an expansion of bidet seats and functionality. Alexa has also been integrated into one toilet model which enables you to check the weather, order a driver service and listen to music while on the John.

How can new technology improve the quality of life for you and your family and enable you to create the in-home spa of your dreams? We can help you to answer that question. Give us a call at 240-298-8697 or visit us at http://www.carmikekitchens.com.

Open shelving has become an increasingly popular design feature among our clients because they provide a combination of an aesthetic focal point with superb functionality. Open shelves offer a look with universal appeal. Open shelves enable homeowners to showcase a dramatic backsplash, display dishes, pottery, sculptures, plants, herbs, and dishware and glassware, among numerous other options. Plus, open shelves provide home chefs with the functionality to access their favorite cooking tools within arm's reach. So, what’ the downside? Open shelves limit storage and can contribute to a cluttered look and feel.

Open Shelving Works When…

1. Items that a homeowner wants to showcase are uniform in size.
2. Homeowners want to easily access the cooking tools that they use most often without having to search in a cabinet or drawer. At a glance, homeowners know where everything is and know exactly what's ready for use. Seeing all of your pieces encourages you to use more of your china and serving dishes because they're never out of sight nor out of mind.
3. Homeowners don't want to display kitchen gadgets and tools and products that can be relegated to cabinets and drawers.
4. Budgets are tight. Shelving tends to be less expensive than cabinetry and less costly to install.
5. You want to showcase a backsplash, collectibles, artwork and dish and glassware.
6. Space is at a premium. Open shelves can make a kitchen appear larger and more open.

Open Shelving Does Not Work When…

1. You don't have the time or the inclination to keep the shelves organized.
2. You don't have the time or the inclination to clean often. Open shelves tend to attract dust and grease and grime generated from cooking.
3. You are seeking custom design on a budget. For custom kitchens, the cost savings are negligible, especially if the client wants custom shelving.
4. Functionality is more important than aesthetics. A primary benefit of open shelves is to have the most used kitchen items at your fingertips. It takes time and effort to keep everything in its place to avoid a cluttered aesthetic.
5. There are too many items on the shelves that contribute to a cluttered, disorganized look.
6. When you need the storage space that cabinets provide. Upper cabinets conceal clutter and disorganized dishes that you may not have time to straighten up. Upper cabinets help keep things tucked away and off the countertops.

Not sure? There are many cases when you can combine cabinets with open shelves. Are open shelves a feature that will work in your new kitchen? Give us a call at 240-298-8697 or visit us at http://www.carmikekitchens.com to determine how you can create the kitchen of your dreams.

The Kitchen & Bath Industry Show is the largest kitchen and bath design event in North America. KBIS reflects the trends that will influence kitchen design in the future and also demonstrates new technology that may enhance anyone’s lifestyle. Trends ranged from customizable faucets to bold-colored appliances and everything in between. It was hard not to be impressed by the continued technological connectivity and integration of kitchen appliances and bathroom fixtures.

One appliance manufacturer has incorporated sou vide cooking capabilities into a standard 36-inch range. Another manufacturer featured a dual fuel range that combines induction burners with gas countertops on the stove top and a dual oven cavity that enables home cooks to roast a giant turkey on one side and cook vegetables on the other. There are now ovens that allow you to cook by function, food or recipe and can even convert the stars of HGTVs "Worst Cooks In America" into gourmet chefs. Don't worry if you don't know how to cook or don't like to, there are ovens that ask you to dial in the attributes of what you want to cook, and you can set it and then forget it.

Some refrigerators allow you to check their contents from your smartphone while at the grocery store or any other place. Others feature computers that enable you to store recipes, make grocery lists or order via your home assistant. Zoned refrigeration continues to evolve and allows you to store foodstuffs and beverages at the perfect temperatures. Another trend is the growth of beverage stations. Whether you want a built-in coffee station or a wine dispenser, there is an appliance that can meet your needs.

Appliances finishes showed many pops of color. What we did not see a lot of was traditional stainless steel. Colorful hues dominated at the 2019 KBIS along with black stainless.

One of the cooler new appliances unveiled at KBIS was Miele’s active steam ironing board. There is a heating element in the pad that helps to warm clothing before the iron touches it, thus enabling the steam from the iron to evaporate more effectively. Fans in the board help to billow clothes, and that helps fabrics such as wool and cashmere keep their shape.

Storage solutions continue to evolve not only for the kitchen but also for the bathroom. We saw many shallow upper cabinets designed for the bath that can be recessed into the wall to avoid having to dedicate countertop space for storage. Another bath trend was the use of two to three different tiles in the bath, combining small-scale mosaics with 4 by 6-inch wall tiles and 12 by 24-inch floor tiles.

The ability to customize fixtures such as faucets and tubs is becoming much easier. We saw more air massage tubs than jetted tubs. At KBIS, we saw a few head-turning bathroom faucets. The first, a 3-D printed faucet from DXV by American Standard. The Blade is printed from stainless steel then hand finished. Water flow is activated by a sensor that turns on and off as a user approaches or leaves. Water flows from a circular opening in the edge of the faucet. Axor unveiled its MyEdition Customizable Cover Plates. You can select from six cover plates made from leather, wood, two types of marble and mirrored or black glass for the sink and tub faucets.

Want a custom color on your tub? Not a problem for Victoria + Albert. It’s freestanding tubs and washbasins come in a choice of 200 different colors and glossy or matte finishes.

If you thought Corian was a countertop. Think again. The company introduced new material that can be used as a wall covering with undulating panels that are cut out like puzzle pieces for easy assembly on site that can be backlit to create a dramatic effect.

If you would like to discuss how you can take advantage of the latest trends and technology to make life easier and more rewarding for yourself and your family, call us at 240-298-8697 or visit us at  http://www.carmikekitchens.com

A well-designed kitchen in Southern Maryland is a perfect combination of form and function that provide years of happiness. From a form standpoint, the kitchen needs to work. That’s why we begin the design process by asking our clients who will use the kitchen, for what purposes and how often. That information enables us to craft custom solutions to meet our client’s unique needs and exceed their expectations. There are commonalities to every well-designed kitchen starting with storage.

One secret to designing a great kitchen is to develop a storage plan that addresses how often you cook, entertain and hold gatherings. We start by accessing what currently exists in your kitchen. We advise our clients to inventory their cookware, bakeware, kitchen tools, storage containers, cutlery, knives, utensils, gadgets and countertop appliances and estimate the frequency of use. Identifying the most-used items in a kitchen empowers our kitchen designers to create custom plans that make kitchens function so much more effectively. We recommend purging items that you never use. Space permitting, things that are used infrequently or even as little as once a year (the large roasting pan for Thanksgiving turkey) can be relegated to upper cabinets or other rooms in the home thus opening up prime real estate for the most frequently accessed utensils and equipment. 

A second key to a well-designed kitchen is to invest in high-quality, high-performing, statement-making countertops. Not only are countertops relied upon for meal preparation, but they are also used for cooking, eating, entertaining, doing homework, charging electronics, reading, relaxing and spending quality time together with family and friends. Countertops serve practical and aesthetic functions that can make or break a new kitchen. 

Lighting can also make or break how your kitchen looks, feels and functions. Lighting is equally as crucial as cabinets, countertops, appliances, backsplashes, flooring, sinks and faucets. Lighting needs to be layered to contribute not only to the functionality of the kitchen but also to its design and beauty.

Appliances should reflect how you will use the kitchen. If you entertain frequently, you may want double ovens, a large refrigerator and even two dishwashers. If space is at a premium, you might find compact appliances can save space and improve functionality.

The details are essential in a well-designed kitchen. The kitchen faucet is the most used appliance in a home. That’s why we often advise our clients to invest in high-quality, high-performing plumbing fixtures. You also need to pay attention to cabinet hardware as it serves as the jewelry for your cabinets. Be sure to appropriately accessorize your kitchen with functional and convenience serving equipment such as waste disposers, filtered water, soap dispensers and instant hot and cold faucets.

Backsplashes are another component of a well-designed kitchen because not only do they serve as a focal point of any kitchen, but they also represent one of the few opportunities for homeowners to express their originality and personality. There are countless options. Finding the perfect backsplash can genuinely define a space and add real beauty to a kitchen. Functionally,  a stone, quartz or tile backsplash is much easier to clean than painted surfaces or wallpaper when food bits and grease splatter on the wall.

A final element of a well-designed kitchen is floor covering. The key is to incorporate floorcovering material into the rest of the design.

If you are interested in building a genuinely exceptional kitchen in Southern Maryland that makes you the envy of the neighborhood, give us a call at 240-298-8697or visit us at www.carmikekitchens.com

We are surrounded by technology at work, in our cars and pockets and just about every aspect of our lives, including the kitchen.

Many of our clients want to take advantage of technological advancements explicitly developed for the kitchen as part of their remodel. We see personal home assistants and dedicated kitchen tablets trending upward in this arena. According to the  2019 Houzz Kitchen Trends Study , 11 percent of homeowners are upgrading electronics as part of their kitchen remodel. The percentage of homeowners incorporating a personal home assistant such as Google Home or Amazon’s Alexa increased from 23 percent to 31 percent from 2017 to 2018. Dedicated kitchen tablets rose to 17 percent from 11 percent during the same period.

The most popular electronic upgrade for kitchens remains the television. Sixty percent of remodels included a TV in their new kitchens. Nearly half of kitchen remodels featured a docking or charging station. Manufacturers have upped their game when it comes to charging stations, incorporating them into drawers, in electrical switch plates and popping up from countertops. The ability to charge smartphones and tablets within a drawer helps to avoid countertop clutter and maintain clean lines.

Wireless or Bluetooth speakers were specified for 29 percent of new kitchens, according to the Houzz survey. That percentage actually decreased from the year before at 38 percent.

Kitchen faucets also are becoming technologically more sophisticated with features such as hands-free and touch operation, improved water efficiency, water filtration capability, Bluetooth applications and no-fingerprint finishes.

Refrigerators, ranges, cooktops, ovens and dishwashers are offering technological conveniences ranging from the ability to order groceries via Alexa and other personal assistants to blue tooth connectivity that allows homeowners to preheat an oven on their commute home via their smartphone. The Houzz survey found that 16 percent of homeowners upgraded appliances as part of their kitchen remodel and 11 percent picked appliances with color touchscreen displays. These displays offer a mind-boggling array of features. You can watch videos on YouTube, make video calls and use the touchscreen to control smart home devices through voice activation or touch screen and even search local restaurants. You can play music or watch a video while you cook and Google will save your place so you can check the recipe at any time. There are even displays that show you how to divide cakes into perfect portions for slicing.

What’s the right technology for your new kitchen? Give us a call at 240298-8697 or visit us at www.carmike kitchens.com to determine how you can use emerging technology in your new kitchen to make your life easier, less stressful and more enjoyable.

When you watch a home improvement show on HGTV, DIY or another network, there's a good chance that you will not obtain a true sense of what is involved in the renovation process, and it is all but guaranteed that the pricing and timelines that you see will create false expectations. While a great source of ideas and creative possibilities, home improvement television is first and foremost entertainment, as opposed to a documentary, and it does not reflect the real world. The ability to establish realistic budget and timeline expectations are valuable services that you can expect from partnering with a professional designer and showroom. Regardless of your budget and scope, we have the experience, expertise and passion for making your dreams a reality.

Many of our clients decide to renovate their kitchen simply because their space no longer meets their goals, lifestyle or needs. A fundamental requirement of a well-designed kitchen is the work triangle. The National Kitchen and Bath Association defines the work triangle as an imaginary straight line drawn from the center of the sink to the center of the cooktop to center of the refrigerator and back to the sink. The goal of the triangle is to make the kitchen functional and efficient by keeping all of the workstations close while avoiding the possibility of the kitchen becoming cramped.

There is no doubt that a qualified contractor can install a new kitchen, and handy homeowners can assist with demolition, installation and product selection. However, if the design and aesthetics are important to you, you will be best served by partnering with a professional whose job it is to know the latest trends, technological innovations and product offerings that will meet your needs. Professional designers and showrooms specialize in what's on trend and have the experience and knowledge to recommend fixtures, finishes and accessories that many contractors and even the savviest homeowners don't come across.

Improving the efficiency and pleasure that your kitchen can bring is only one reason that many of our clients decide on a renovation. Another influencing factor is more practical. The kitchen is the most important room in the home, and a remodeled kitchen creates value and makes your home more saleable.

Working with a professional designer also helps to eliminate guesswork. We produce realistic schematics that show what you what the new kitchen will look like before you have to commit. The ability to visualize the finished project before starting construction not only gives you a realistic expectation of what your kitchen will look like, it also helps to eliminate delays, change orders and unnecessary expenses.

Working with a professional designer and showroom takes on added significance and value if your home is older or historical. Bringing the new kitchen up to code, maintaining the historic look and feel and specifying the elements and details that match the rest of the home's décor require special expertise.

A well-designed kitchen is an organized kitchen. Today, manufacturers continue to raise the bar for storage solutions that range from plug and play drawer organizers and pull out pantries, to pull down spice racks and everything in between.

If your kitchen is cramped and awkward to entertain in, that's even more reason to turn to a professional. We can make smaller spaces not only look and feel larger, but we also have the expertise to make the area more functional.

Kitchen designer expertise is not limited to kitchens. Baths and laundry rooms share certain commonalities with kitchens such as the need for cabinets, storage, plumbing, lighting, wall coverings, floor coverings and a balance of aesthetics and functionality. That's why a number of our clients tap our expertise for laundry room and bath renovations as well.

If you are dreaming of a stunning new kitchen complete with chef-worthy appliances, cabinets that will make you the envy of the neighborhood and a space that welcomes friends and family with open arms, give our showroom a call at 240-298-8697 or visit us at http://www.carmikekitchens.com. Let us show you how we can turn your dreams into reality.

Good lighting makes kitchens and bathrooms more enjoyable, and bad lighting – just the opposite. Specifying the right light for a new kitchen or bath requires knowing how light interacts with materials, users and tasks. Lighting can make or break how a kitchen functions, looks and feels. Don’t leave lighting decisions to the last minute for two reasons. First, lighting is an integral part of the design that affects the functionality and aesthetic of the room and should not be considered an afterthought. Second, moving light fixtures after installation can be costly because it often requires rewriting, patching and repainting.

When we consider light for a new kitchen or bath, we look at the function and aesthetic, and we design to layer light to create images and colors that illuminate the space’s best feature. We take into account the manner in which light interacts with the form and texture of objects and materials in the area to produce different effects. Shining a beam of concentrated light on a countertop will create shadows and notable highlights depending on the form and texture of the countertop material. Diffused light (light scattered in all directions) minimizes shadows and textures and emphasizes form. Diffused light seems to wrap around objects giving them a softer appearance and helps reduce shadows. You achieve a softer, more pleasing look by diffusing light in the bathroom at a vanity and in front of a mirror used for grooming.

We typically will specify ambient lighting to set the mood and for general illumination (along with natural light), task lighting for food preparation, cooking and clean up areas and accent lighting to draw attention to a specific design features.

Ambient Lighting

Ambient lighting is the base layer for all other lighting. The goal of ambient lighting is to provide soft, general illumination without necessarily drawing attention to the light source. Ambient lighting provides enough light for safe navigation and helps define the space.

A central fixture or fixtures often produce ambient light in the kitchen. Typically, ambient light fixtures are surface-mounted ceiling lights, recessed ceiling lights or a cove lighting system where lights are hidden behind a molding dropped several inches from the ceiling.

The best ambient light comes from sources that bounce light off the ceiling and walls. When light bounces off surfaces, the light is evenly distributed, minimizing the potential for glare and shadows. If a fixture is specified to reflect light off the ceiling, then the ceiling must be a light color. Dark surfaces absorb light instead of reflecting it back into the space. This is an important consideration when specifying lighting for countertops and in-drawer, in-cabinet and under-cabinet lighting.

Flush-mounted fixtures in the center of the room are often the default to produce ambient light. While this works, it may not create the look or feel that you want to achieve nor complement your new cabinets, countertops or backsplash. Pendants may be a better option because pendants can better highlight task areas while providing general illumination. There are many ways to create ambient light. Ambient light should not be used by itself, because that will result in a space that lacks depth or dimension.

Task Lighting

Ambient lighting welcomes you into a room. Task lighting illuminates the activities that take place in a room. You can determine your task lighting needs by considering the actions that regularly take place in the kitchen. These may include:

• Meal preparation on countertops or at an island
• Cooking at a stove or cooktop
• Clean up at sinks
• Reading
• Watching television
• Working at a desk
• Entertaining

The first step in determining the necessary layers of lighting begins with identifying the tasks that will take place in the space. During the early planning stages, we ask customers about how they plan to use the space and determine their normal daily routine. Determining how you will use the room and identifying its focal points will affect decisions on where we place task lighting and in what intensity.

The optimal location for task lighting is between a person's head and the work surface. Lighting from above is not good for task lighting, because a person's head can cast a shadow on the task area. Wall sconces, under-cabinet lights, in-drawer and pendant lights are often used for task lighting. The amount of lighting necessary for task performance also will be dictated by the age of those using the kitchen or bath. Customers who are 65 years or older need twice as much light as a 20-year-old to perform the same tasks.

Accent Lighting

Next, we identify opportunities for our clients to make personal design statements with light fixtures and highlight textures, forms and objects in the room with accent lighting.

Accent lighting is used to help keep kitchens and baths from looking ordinary or bland by highlighting artwork, range hoods, statement-making backsplashes, objects on open shelves architectural details or other objects. A feature or work of art that draws the attention of the eye is referred to as a focal point.

Light fixtures that provide light and shadows can make the space more inviting and comfortable. These may include track lights, undercabinet and/or under-counter strip lighting, recessed adjustable fixtures and spotlights that bring attention to where light is wanted. Accent lighting is subtle. A focused beam of light directed at a plant or highlighting a work of art, or a spotlight placed behind a plant and pointed upward through the leaves creates shadows on the wall that can make the room appear more attractive.

We recognize that most customers enjoy consistency of design motifs within their home. That is one of the reasons that we often recommend that the look of light fixtures, pendants, chandeliers, etc. complement the style of our client’s home. Size of fixtures also plays an important role. If a pendant or chandelier is too large, it can overwhelm the space, and if the fixtures are too small, they will not be noticeable, nor will they produce the functionality that is required.

Lighting technology has created new blank canvases that can be used to create different moods, looks and feels for a new kitchen. Lamps that can dim enable you to have sufficient light for meal preparation and then lower lighting levels to create the right ambiance for dining.

What light works best for your kitchen? Give us a call at 240-298-8697 or visit us at  http://www.carmikekitchens.com

The Consumer Electronics Show is the world's largest technology show, and the 2019 edition held in early January offered the latest technological advancements for the kitchen and bath. Here are several products that caught our eye:

KitchenAid's Smart Display is a multi-functional smart home device with a 10-inch display that will offer home chefs a variety of tools and applications including step-by-step recipe instructions, shopping lists and smart home control via a central hub with Google Assistant. Using voice commands, you can watch YouTube, look up recipes, research restaurants or enjoy live music or TV.

The KitchenAid Smart Display also has exclusive cooking content courtesy of the Whirlpool-owned app Yummly. You'll be able to open Yummly with a voice command to see personalized recipe recommendations based on your prior use. Select a recipe, and Yummly can walk you through the cooking steps. A new Yummly Pro service even offers video guides for recipes hosted by celebrity chefs. KitchenAid is striving to release the Smart Display in the second half of 2019 and estimates the price between $200 and $300.

Whirlpool's Smart All-in-One Washer and Dryer was a CES 2019 Innovation Award Honoree for its ability to complete a load of laundry. That's right, imagine washing and drying a load of laundry without having to move items from one machine to another. Whirlpool brand's newly upgraded laundry unit features smart laundry capabilities through the Whirlpool app, and coming soon in 2019, voice control with a compatible voice-enabled device will be available to make laundry easier from start to finish.

Bosch unveiled its Projection and Interaction at CES. PAI is a miniature smart projector that mounts under kitchen cabinets and converts any surface into a touchscreen and gesture-based display. The PAI offers a recipe and cooking catalog that is connected to Bosch's other smart appliances. The PAI can identify individual ingredients to suggest recipe ideas or start the oven in advance. But most impressive is its unnecessary but fun ability to divide cakes into perfect portions for slicing.

Heatworks showcased a Wi-Fi- Connected Countertop Dishwasher which won a Best of Innovation Award in the Home Appliances category. The estimated cost is around $300, and the appliance should be available sometime in 2019.

Another Best of Innovation Award was presented to Kohler's Sensate Touchless Kitchen Faucet. With the Sensat Touchless Kitchen Faucet, you can turn water on and off through voice commands or motion-based interactions. You can fill an eight-ounce cup of water or a large pot of water to make pasta with a hands-free voice command. A sensor on the faucet valve monitors water usage which is displayed on the KOHLER Konnect app for convenience and will alert you if unusual usage is detected. KOHLER Konnect offers support in select products for Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit.

The Kohler Numi 2.0 Intelligent Toilet has water efficiency checks that make sure only the water that is necessary to remove waste is used. The Numi 2.0 features smart lighting that makes it easy to see your way around the bathroom even in the dead of night — and those lights are interactive, multicolored and dynamic so they can adjust to the setting. The toilet has personalized cleansing functions that make sure the toilet is set to your specifications, including a heated seat, drying functionality and voice control. The Numi 2.0 Intelligent Toilet has high-quality speakers built right into it, and those speakers come equipped with Amazon's voice assistant Alexa. If you have a question while you're sitting on the toilet, just ask Alexa. You can also run your home automation processes while in the bathroom. You can even have Alexa queue up your favorite playlist and watch the toilet's lights sync up to the beat. Your bathroom can double as your own personal dance club if you so desire. The Numi 2.0 Intelligent Toilet is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2019

TOTO's NEOREST NX2 Intelligent Toilet with ACTILIGHT and Flotation Tub with ZERO DIMENSION were also named CES 2019 Innovation Awards honorees. TOTO's NEOREST NX2 is its most beautiful intelligent toilet with its most advanced cleansing technology. It offers innovations consumers appreciate: high-tech sensor operation with auto open/close and auto flush; integrated WASHLET personal cleansing system with warm, aerated water to cleanse, warm air dryer, heated seat, and in-bowl catalytic deodorizer; and energy- and water-saving features. The NEOREST NX2's ACTILIGHT bowl cleansing technology is completely safe for the environment. It uses a plain water pre-mist that reduces waste and grime's sticking.

TOTO's Flotation Tub simulates zero gravity by offering bathers the experience of total weightlessness. TOTO's research revealed that the ZERO DIMENSION bathing posture completely relaxes mind and body. Special massage jets produce a therapeutic flow of warm air bubbles enveloping the entire body. A stream of warm water flows from the height-adjustable Neck Spa, an ergonomic pillow that keeps the neck and shoulders comfortably warm. HYDROHANDS massage jets create the experience of real hands massaging the lower back. All functions are easily operated using the control panel on the inside of the tub.

Foldimate featured a functioning version of its laundry-folding robot at CES. It's essentially a large appliance that lets you feed in a full load of laundry for folding. It can fold about 25 articles of clothing – of various materials and sizes – in under five minutes. It won't handle all items such as towels, bedsheets and baby clothes. Other than those items, reviewers gave Foldimate high marks.

If you would like to know how smart, connected devices can make your life easier and cooking and cleaning more enjoyable, call us at 240-298-8697 or visit our website at  http://www.carmikekitchens.com

More than 2.1 billion tons of food worldwide will be tossed in the garbage can by 2030, predicts the Boston Consulting Group. And the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reports that food waste and loss accounts for 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Both the amount of food waste and the greenhouse gas emission that waste generates could be substantially reduced thanks to a new mobile food scanner that is expected to hit the market later in 2019. The pocket-sized scanner is being developed by a German research organization and uses an infrared sensor to determine the safety of fresh food, which is measured using an app on a smartphone or tablet.

A lot of edible food is discarded prematurely because of blemishes or because it has lasted beyond its past use by date. Consumers have no way to determine if blemished or expired food is still safe to eat. Most consumers would rather be safe than sorry, contributing to a lot of unnecessary food waste. The scanner and app developers hope that their new technology will curtail needless food waste.

The scanner uses a near-infrared sensor to determine the ripeness of food. Artificial Intelligence converts the sensor readings into inferences about the safety of the food scanned. Currently, the technology is only capable of determining the ripeness of a single ingredient. You can't scan a plate of leftovers to decide whether they have gone bad nor can you assess the safety of pre-prepared food. However, the researchers developing the technology plan to expand applications across multi-ingredient foods soon.

An added bonus of the technology is that the scanner can determine the authenticity of the food scanned. For example, it can determine the difference between real crab and manufactured crab and the difference between salmon and salmon trout.

The scanner is further evidence of how technology will continue to change the way we prepare meals and eat. Kitchens are becoming more connected with new applications coming to market almost daily. If you would like to know how you can take advantage of new technologies that enhance your family's lifestyle, health and well-being, give us a call at 240-298-8697 or visit us at  http://www.carmikekitchens.com